Miniature track unit



u y 3, 1951 s. SCHAFFAN, JR 2,559,375

MINIATURE TRACK UNIT Filed Feb. 16, 1949 IN VEN TOR. 7EfiH-AN S rFA A]! A TTORNEY Patented July 3, 1 951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,559,375 MINIATURE TRACK UNIT Stephan Schaffan, Jr., Irvington, N. J.

Application February 16, 1949, Serial No. 76,713

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a miniature track unit for use in miniature railway systems, and to a method of making the same.

Pursuant to the instant invention, there is provided a miniature track dielectric fibre unit so constructed as to facilitate flexing or bending the same to conform to an infinite variety of simple or compound curves, according to the users desire.

The invention further provides a dielectric fibre unit which may be deformed in a novel manner to describe desired curves or other outlines, at the same time maintaining uniform spacing of the rails at all times.

These and other advantageous objects, which will appear from the drawings, and from the description hereinafter, are accomplished by the structure of my invention, of which an embodiment is illustrated in the drawings. It will be apparent, from a consideration of said drawings, and the following description, that the invention may be embodied in other forms suggested thereby, and such other forms as come within the scope of the appended claim are to be considered within the scope and purview of the instant invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is an enlarged, fragmentary, bottom plan view of a miniature track section and including rail portions embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a dielectric fibre unit embodying the invention, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view, taken on line l4 of Fig. 2.

As shown in the drawings, the structure of my invention comprises a dielectric unit In of fibre or other suitable material, cut to the initial outline shown in Fig. 3 to define aplurality of parallel ties II in simulation of railroad ties, and connectors l2, l3 between the ties and disposed in parallel spaced relation to each other at right angles to the longitudinal axis of ties II and connecting the same. Each of the connectors I2, I3 is slitted between alternative ties, as shown in Fig. 3, the slits of one connector being further disposed in staggered or alternate relation to those of the other, thus providing the structure shown in Fig. 3. The slits l4 divide the connectors l2 into abutting connector segments 22, 23, and the slits I5 of the connectors I 3 divide the latter into abutting connector segments 24, 25. As shown in Fig. 3, the unitary connectors and alternate abutting connector segments provide an inherently uniform structure wherein the parallel ties H are fairly rigidly and unitarily connected notwithstanding the-alternate staggered slits l4, l5 for the connectors as above described. The ties II are further provided with clip apertures I6, l6 aligned with the connectors I2 and clip apertures ll, l1 aligned with the connectors l3. Said clip apertures are adapted to receive the clips [8 initially of U-shaped outline which are freely passed through the apertures, the ends l9, IQ of the clips being then bent at substantially 45 upon the wide bases 2| of the rails 20, 20'. The clips are bent as described to embrace the bases of the rails without binding thereon so as to hold the rails against accidental displacement, but, at the same time, provide for relative sliding movement between the rails and ties.

By the arrangement described, the fibre unit l0 may be bent or flexed to an infinite variety of curves. As shown in Fig. 1, the abutting connector segments 24, 25 of the connectors [3 provide a fulcrum or support to facilitate bending the rail sections so as to open one or more of the slits of the opposite connector segments. For example, as indicated in Fig. 1, the openings 26, 21 of the connector segments 22, 23 occurs in thus bending the section. It will be noted that the opening 21 is larger than the opening 26 to describe the radius to which member I0 is shown in Fig. 1 as deformed. This is one example of the infinite variety of arrangements possible pursuant to my invention to conform the track section to the most minute or varied curvature or angular arrangement desired. Notwithstanding the slitting of the connectors, as above described, the alternate and staggered arrangements of the slits provide for a continuous unitary fibre unit I!) at all times.

By the method and structure of my invention, as above outlined, the unit I0 may be deformed to the desired degree without imposing any great stress or strain thereon, the clips l8 connecting the rails to the unit providing for sliding relative movement to the degree desired.

It can now be readily understood that applicant has produced a new track support unit comprising a series of substantially U-shaped members in which one leg of each U-shaped member is common to both of them. The connected U-shaped members form a continuous strip defining a zigzag relation of connected parts and slitted portions. It is therefore conclusive that the new construction disclosed by applicant does not embody a continuous longitudinal strip.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A miniature toy railway track section comprising an elongated flat unit formed of flexible dielectric fibrous sheet material and consisting of a multiplicity of transversely extending bars constituting cross ties and integral strips extending longitudinally adjacent opposite side portions of the section and interconnecting the cross bars at right angles thereto in spaced relation to the ends of the cross bars, each strip being slit transversely between alternate cross bars, the slits of the strips being arranged in staggered and alternate relation to each other, said cross bars having end portions formed at opposite sides of said strips, with one or more pairs of vertically disposedopenings, rails extending longitudinally of the track section and resting upon the upper surfaces of said strips with portions extending acrossthe cross bars between the companion openings, and U-shaped clips consisting of strands of stiff Wire having their arms passing upwardly through the pairs of openings and bent inwardly and disposed diagonally in overlapping relation to the opposite '4 side portions of the bases of the rails and in engagement with the side edges of the rail bases and serving to hold the rails upon the track section but allow longitudinal movement of the rails and the track section relative to each other.

STEPHAN SCHAFFAN, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,068,403 Elkstrom Jan. 19, 1937 2,161,562 Day June 6, 1939 2,188,894 Tyler Jan. 30, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 489,503 Great Britain July 28, 1938 r 763,528 France Feb. 12, 1934 

